Dr. Mutumbuka regains ownership of his house

Fraudulent Scheme Uncovered

The dispute originated from a fraudulent scheme involving a stolen title deed. Lynna Mlambo, a supervisor at the Deeds Office, was accused of stealing the deed and handing it over to her boyfriend, Tatenda “Shaft” Wakatama. Wakatama allegedly forged the document, inserting his name before returning it to the Deeds Office.

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Using the fake deed, Jonah Ngome purportedly sold the property to Zirenga and Marange for an undervalued price of $92,000, of which only $45,000 was paid upfront. Justice Munangati-Manongwa ruled that Ngome’s title deed was “fake, fraudulent, invalid, and of no force and effect.” Additionally, the Deeds Office was ordered to remove any record associating Ngome with the property.

Criticism of Legal Representation

The judge criticized the legal representatives of Zirenga and Marange, specifically Hope Ndanaka Tirivavi and Advocate Method Ndlovu, for pursuing a case that lacked merit. Their application was dismissed, and they were ordered to pay costs to Dr. Mutumbuka, represented by Advocate Edley Mubayiwa.

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“Ngome, who claims to be the owner of the house through a title deed, has never been anywhere close to the courts to defend his property. His silence is an acceptance of the fraud associated with his deed.”

Previous Ruling Overturned

This ruling overturns a controversial decision by Justice Webster Nicholas Chinamora, who had awarded possession of the property to Zirenga and Marange in September 2023. Justice Chinamora has since resigned amid allegations of misconduct.